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- Document type:
- Journal Article
- Author(s):
- Greetfeld, Martin; Hessler-Kaufmann, Johannes Baltasar; Brandl, Beate; Skurk, Tomas; Holzapfel, Christina; Quadflieg, Norbert; Schlegl, Sandra; Hauner, Hans; Voderholzer, Ulrich
- Title:
- Orthorexic tendencies in the general population: association with demographic data, psychiatric symptoms, and utilization of mental health services.
- Abstract:
- PURPOSE: Orthorexia nervosa (ON) is characterized by a preoccupation to eat healthily and restrictive eating habits despite negative psychosocial and physical consequences. As a relatively new construct, its prevalence and correlates in the general population and the associated utilization of mental health services are unclear. METHODS: Adults from the general population completed the Düsseldorf Orthorexia Scale (DOS), the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ), the Short Eating Disorder Examination (SEED). RESULTS: Five-hundred eleven (63.4% female) participants with a mean age of 43.39 (SD = 18.06) completed the questionnaires. The prevalence of ON according to the DOS was 2.3%. Considering only effects of at least intermediate size, independent samples t-tests suggested higher DOS scores for persons with bulimia nervosa (p < .001, Cohen's d = 1.14), somatoform syndrome (p = .012, d = .60), and major depressive syndrome (compared p < .001, d = 1.78) according to PHQ as well as those who reported to always experience fear of gaining weight (p < .001, d = 1.78). The DOS score correlated moderately strong and positively with the PHQ depression (r = .37, p < .001) and stress (r = .33, p < .001) scores as well as the SEED bulimia score (r = .32, p < .001). In multivariate logistic regression analyses, only PHQ depression scores were associated with past psychotherapeutic or psychiatric treatment (OR = 1.20, p = .002) and intake of psychotropic medication in the last year (OR = 1.22, p = .013). CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of ON was low compared to international studies but is in line with other non-representative German studies. Orthorexic tendencies related to general mental distress and eating disorder symptoms but were no independent reason for seeking treatment. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level V, cross-sectional descriptive study.
- Journal title abbreviation:
- Eat Weight Disord
- Year:
- 2021
- Journal volume:
- 26
- Journal issue:
- 5
- Pages contribution:
- 1511-1519
- Fulltext / DOI:
- doi:10.1007/s40519-020-00961-0
- Pubmed ID:
- http://view.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/32729018
- Print-ISSN:
- 1124-4909
- TUM Institution:
- Else Kröner-Fresenius-Zentrum für Ernährungsmedizin - Klinik für Ernährungsmedizin
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